Inside The Indie Author: A Conversation with Jared Morningstar

Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym, and why or why not?

I have never considered writing under a pseudonym, although I have often been asked if my real name is one by folks who only know me through my writing. I don’t think there is anything wrong with writing under a pseudonym, but for me, I am too proud of what I have written to put any other name on my work than my own.

What is your “go-to” method for working through or around writer’s block?

I suppose what helps me the most is just to keep my eyes open. The vast majority of my favorite original pieces have been written that way. Nothing inspires me more than my observations of the real world. And since I never know when that inspiration will happen, I always keep my field notebook and/or the Notes app on my phone handy.

From your perspective, what are the most important elements of good writing?

To me, the best writing has to have thematic weight. I don’t care so much about action, romance, mystery, and other things many would cite, at least not by themselves. I certainly think such things can contribute to great writing, but if I am going to really get into a piece of poetry or prose, it has to have layers; it has to mean something. It can mean something different to different people, that’s natural, but if a piece of writing conveys nothing in terms of overall meaning, it’s like an argumentative paper without a thesis statement. Aside from thematic weight, a good piece of writing should always resonate with an audience. If readers can’t identify with the universe presented in the piece somehow, whether that’s the literal setting, the characters, and/or the primary conflicts, it’s far less effective.

What comes first – the location, the plot, or the characters – and why?

The plot, almost always. Actually, the themes usually are what come first. Then, I will think of a plot that will convey those themes well. After I have that established, I will flesh out the characters and setting as appropriate.

What are your least favorite and most favorite things about publishing a book?

My favorite thing has to be holding the physical copy for the first time. Nothing beats that rush. I actually enjoy most parts of the publishing process. I think my least favorite thing is either how I will always stumble upon a new minor error every time I look through a draft or advertising. I am not terribly great at that. I love giving readings and talking about the book in front of an audience, but physical and digital publicity are not my strong suits.

What is a significant way your book changed from the first to the final draft?

Honestly? My books don’t change that much from first draft to final draft aside from grammar and convention editing. Because I write poetry and short stories, I almost always work on one piece at a time, and I make sure each piece is polished before I move on to the next one. Sometimes, lines or images change; maybe in a story, I will add a scene or delete one if I feel like it isn’t working, but most of the time, when I am finished with all of the pieces that will be in one of my books, the majority of the work is done.

What was the inspiration for your most recent book?

My latest book is a poetry collection called Lost in America. When I started writing the book, which was still unnamed even by the time I had finished it, I had no real major inspiration in mind. However, about half way through the writing process, I realized that all of the poems were focused on identity in some way. Some were about personal identity, some about national identity, some about losing identity, some about searching for and finding identity. I loved how the first half sort of happened accidentally, and the second half happened with purpose and inspiration. I think it all worked out.

What is a “darling” you’ve killed in a book that you’d like to resurrect in a future book?

That’s a hard question because I don’t often kill characters. I only believe characters should die when it’s absolutely necessary, and that when done for no good reason, it kind of feels like a cheap move to me. So when I do kill someone in a story on a rare occasion, I rarely feel the need to bring them back for any reason. I will say that I feel bad for Amy, the protagonist’s love interest and main female character in my short story “Mansion on the Hill”, who was killed in between Frames 4 and 5. While I wouldn’t take her death back, she did nothing wrong and was the victim of a few different circumstances that left her with no real positive, possible outcomes. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like I need to resurrect her, but I do feel sorry for her.

Where are your most productive writing spaces, and what elements are important about that space to keep you focused on writing.

My home office is my favorite place to write, but honestly, I can write anywhere as long as I have peace and quiet. I’ve written some of my best work lying on our couch, sitting on my son’s bedroom floor while he’s busy playing, even in my classroom while my students are writing. As long as I am in a space with minimal distractions, I am usually good.

If you were to give one of your side characters a novella of their own, who would it be, and why do you think they need their own story?

I have only ever written one short story I’ve felt compelled to revisit: A Slice of American Pie. That story, a dystopian critique on reality television and its negative effects on society, features a protagonist with two young children. A sequel would cast these two children as adults. One would side with the now far more powerful evil television producer who tempted, manipulated, and ultimately betrayed his father, and the other would be the morally conflicted main character. That’s as far as I have come with the plot, but I feel like there is a good story to tell with those characters.

What risks have you taken with your writing that made the book better?

Most of the risks I take in my writing involve controversial issues. One of the poems in my recent collection, Make Art Dangerous Again, talks about great artists of the past who used their voices and talents to rattle cages and shake up the system in hopes of positive progress. I have never shied away from speaking out in my writing about issues that are important, and even if that means there are folks who will never buy my books or come out to see me read because of the stances I take in my writing, I am fine with that. Not only will I keep sleeping well at night, but I also think my books are better because I always stay true to my heart. It makes my writing authentic, controversial or not.

What’s the best monetary investment you’ve ever made with regard to your writing practice?

I bought a used, but really nice, laptop at the beginning of the pandemic and I have done almost all of my work on it since. It’s not the most exciting purchase, but I love that laptop, and it’s been good to me.

When you first began writing, what was a common procrastination trap you encountered, and how did you overcome it?

Self-doubt and/or impostor syndrome have always been my biggest procrastination traps. I still deal with it often, so I don’t know if it’s appropriate to say I have overcome the issue, but I have found a way to stay productive. Basically, sometimes, I just write, even if I am just taking notes. I call it my “list of ideas to work with later”, and it keeps growing. When I am ready to develop one or more, I will cross them off the list. Sometimes the entries are longer, sometimes shorter, but it keeps me in the habit of writing without the pressure of having to write something great every time I sit down.

What is your writing software of choice, and what is its best feature?

For years, I would have given the same boring answer: Microsoft Word. It’s still my favorite software to use when it comes to typing out pieces that have been polished. However, when drafting, I have really fallen for Google Docs. The security of knowing that Docs saves your progress automatically when connected to the internet really eases my fear of a computer glitch that would erase all of my hard work.

Do characters’ names come immediately to you? Do you add them in a final draft? Where do you find names, and how do you make a final decision about the names you’ll use?

Once in a while, character names will come to me immediately. When they do, the names will either be inspired by something related to the character’s personality or a similar, real-life person. Most of the time, though, there is no real significance to the names I give to characters, though I will still try and pick names that feel appropriate. I don’t lose sleep over it, though, like I sometimes will over figuring out book and/or individual piece titles.

Tell us the title of one of your favorite novels, and why this book is a favorite.

My first favorite novel was Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I read it as a high school freshman, and while I had no idea how to define what was great literature back then, I just knew that the book fit that category. My younger self immediately fell for the incredibly interesting plot, and the characters captivated me immediately. I’d still argue that if Miss Havisham isn’t my all-time favorite literary character, she’s definitely in the top two or three at least. As an adult, I could talk forever about why that novel indeed qualifies as a true timeless classic. The characters and soap-opera twists are still fun, but now, I have a deeper understanding of how its themes are still modern and relevant, and why those twists actually are important beyond just the entertainment purposes. I love revisiting the book whenever I can.

Think of the title of a hugely popular novel. What is one major thing you would change about the book?

This is where I could get in trouble. I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade; I stand by the opinion that folks should be able to read what they want and like what they want without fear of judgment. That being said, when I think about hugely popular novels today, the few I feel deserve the popularity they have do not need any significant changes, and the rest lack any major depth beyond the entertainment value, and I have no interest in investing hours into reading them. I can’t just say I would change a novel by adding depth and layers, so I will go with a historically yet still hugely popular work of literature: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Remember what I said about how I feel characters shouldn’t be killed unless there is a necessary reason to do so? Well, I actually feel that even though Shakespeare killed plenty of characters, I can easily justify the vast majority of his character deaths. But not Romeo’s mom. It serves no real purpose whatsoever, and I have tried to think of ways I might defend it. If Shakespeare was alive and I could speak with him, one of my first questions for him would be about why he made that call.

What are you reading right now?

I am currently reading lots of poetry. Justin Hamm’s O Death, Danielle Coffyn’s If Adam Picked the Apple, Rudy Francisco’s Excuse Me As I Kiss the Sky, Colleen Alles’ Bonfires and Other Vigils, Donny Winter’s Casting Seeds, and Patricia Smith’s Unshuttered are all fantastic collections that I highly recommend. I am looking forward to picking up the newest from Mosab Abu Toha, Forest of Noise, as well.

If you could take on the identity of a character in one of your favorite books for twenty-four hours and retain the memory of that experience, which character would you choose? Tell us the title, author, character name, and why you would want to be that character.

That character would be Tom Joad from John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, which, in my opinion, is the greatest novel ever written. I love his character development throughout the novel, especially his transition from a loner who looks out for himself to someone who fights for causes greater than himself. Sometimes, I need a reminder that, as an individual, I can still make a difference. Living as Tom Joad would definitely provide such a reminder.

If you could save five books from being destroyed in the apocalypse, what books would you choose, and why?

I will just go with the first five books I can think of that I consider favorites:

Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath,
Dickens’ Great Expectations,
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby,
Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, and
Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

However, if I can cheat for a second, I want to also save the following plays: Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, and Miller’s Death of a Salesman. All are essential and contain timeless lessons for a society that desperately needs to learn them.

Tell us a little something about your current WIP. When do you expect it to be released?

It will likely be another collection of poetry. I have had a very quiet past year and a half, but this summer, my goal is to get busy writing. I have lots of ideas at this point, so now, it’s time to put pen to paper, fingertips to keyboard, and get started. I’m not sure what the collection’s overarching themes will be, but I imagine they’ll remain close to my wheelhouse.

What are the titles and genres of each book you’ve written?

I have two proper collections that are a mix of short stories and poems: